Minsk, (Belarusian: Мiнск)
is the capital and largest city in Belarus, situated on the
vislach and Niamiha rivers.
Minsk is also a headquarters of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS).
As the national capital, Minsk has a special administrative
status in Belarus and is also the administrative centre of
Minsk voblast (province) and Minsk raion (district).
It has a population of 1,830,000 inhabitants (2008).
An urban area that includes about thirty satellite cities
(e.g. Krupki) holds 3,000,000.

The earliest references to Minsk date to the 11th century
(1067), when it was a provincial city within the principality
of Polotsk.
In 1242, Minsk became a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania,
and it received its town privileges in 1499.
From 1569, it was a capital of the Minsk Voivodship in the
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was annexed by Russia in
1793, as a consequence of the Second Partition of Poland.
From 1919–1991, Minsk was the capital of the Byelorussian
Soviet Socialist Republic.

Geography and climate
Minsk is located on the southeastern slope of the Minsk Hills,
a region of rolling hills running from the southwest (upper
reaches of the river Nioman) to the northeast - that is, to the
Lukomskaye lake in northwestern Belarus.
The average altitude above sea level is 220 m (721.78 ft).
The geography of Minsk was formed during the two most recent
Ice Ages.
The Svislach river, which flows across the city from the northwest
to the southeast, is located in the urstrohmtal, an ancient river
valley formed by water flowing from melting ice sheets at the end
of the last Ice Age.
Minsk was initially founded on the hills.
However, in the 20th century, it grew to include the relatively
flat plains in the southeast.
The western parts of the city are the
most hilly.

Minsk is located in the area of mixed forests typical
for most of Belarus.
Pinewood and mixed forests are still present at the edge
of the city, especially in the north and east.
Some of the forests were transformed into parks (for
instance, the Chelyuskinites Park) as the
city grew.

Minsk has a warm summer humid continental climate
(Koppen Dfb), owing to its location between the strong
influence of the moist air of the Atlantic Ocean and
the dry air of the Eurasian landmass.
Its weather is, however, unstable and tends to change
often.
The average January temperature is -6.1 Celsius
(21 °F), while the average July temperature is
17.8 °C (64 °F).
The lowest temperature was recorded on 17 January,
1940, at -40 °C (-40 °F) and the warmest on
29 July, 1936, at 35 °C (95 °F).
The air is often moist, with humidity levels at 80-90%,
especially during the cold season.
There are on average 135 humid days a year, compared
with only 6 dry days.
This results in frequent fogs, common in the autumn
and spring.

Minsk receives annual precipitation of 646 mm (25.4 in),
of which one third falls during the cold period (as snow
and rain) and two thirds in the warm period.
Throughout the year, most winds are westerly and
northwesterly, bringing cool and moist air from
the Atlantic.

History
The area of today's Minsk was settled by the Early
East Slavs by the 9th century.
The Svislach River valley was the settlement boundary
between two Early East Slavs tribes - the Krivichs and
Dregovichs.
By 980, the area was incorporated into the early medieval
Principality of Polatsk, one of the earliest East Slav
states.
Minsk was first mentioned in the name form Menesk in the
Primary Chronicle for the year 1067 in association with
the Battle on the river Nemiga.
1067 is now widely accepted as the founding year of
Minsk.
City authorities consider the date of September 2, 1067,
to be the exact founding date of the city, though the town
(by then fortified by wooden walls) had certainly existed
for some time by then. The origin of the name is unknown
but there are several theories.

On September 8, 2007, the city of Minsk celebrated 940
years since its founding.